Fencing construction

ABSTRACT

A plastics and metal fencing system includes a cylindrical metal post for engaging into the ground with a square tubular cladding post formed of an extruded plastics material engaged onto the metal post. A fence panel is formed by a top rail, a bottom rail and a plurality of pickets where each of the rails includes a cladding channel of extruded plastics material and a metal reinforcement channel. Each of the rails has the metal channel attached by a metal bracket to the metal post by a screw fastener which passes through the cladding post to engage the metal post such that the rail is rigidly connected to the metal post through the plastics cladding.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The manufacture of fencing systems from extruded plastics material is highly desirable in view of the resistance to corrosion and the availability of such plastics material often as reclaimed material. However such sensing systems often tend to be flexible so that interconnection between the elements is often ineffective and may cause the fencing system to collapse in the event of wind or other loading on the components which causes flexing sufficient to release connections between the elements. This is particularly applicable in regard to wind loads which tend to cause fence panels to bow thus tending to release the bowed panel from its interconnection with the posts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one object of the invention to provide an improved fencing system using primarily plastics extruded materials but effectively reinforced by metal elements to provide a rigid structure responsive to loads from environmental and surrounding conditions.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a fencing system for assembly into a fence comprising:

-   -   a metal post for engaging into the ground;     -   a tubular cladding post formed of an extruded plastics material         arranged to be engaged onto the metal post;     -   a fence panel having a top rail, a bottom rail and a plurality         of pickets extending therebetween;     -   a top bracket for attachment of the top rail to the post and a         bottom bracket for attachment of the bottom rail to the post;     -   wherein the top and bottom brackets each comprise a base member         fastened to the metal post by a screw fastener which passes         through the cladding post to engage the metal post and a         mounting member fastened to the rail such that the rail is         rigidly connected to the metal post.

Preferably each of the top and bottom brackets is defined by a U-bracket in which the web forms the base member and the legs form the mounting member with the rail therebetween.

Preferably the rail is connected to the mounting member by a bolt.

Preferably each of the rails includes a metal reinforcement member extending therealong and attached to the bracket and a cladding member of extruded plastics material.

Preferably the metal reinforcement member comprises a metal channel with the pickets extending into a base of the channel.

Preferably the cladding member comprises an extruded channel containing the metal channel.

Preferably the metal channel comprises a tube with one face thereof formed to define a slot of a width to receive the pickets.

Preferably the extruded channel includes a rib along an inside face thereof to engage and locate an edge of the metal channel.

Preferably the extruded channel includes an edge lip turned toward the picket at a position spaced along the picket from the edge of the metal channel.

Preferably the metal post is cylindrical and the cladding post is square with the inside transverse dimension closely matching an outside diameter of the metal post.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a fencing system for assembly into a fence comprising:

-   -   a metal post for engaging into the ground;     -   a tubular cladding post formed of an extruded plastics material         arranged to be engaged onto the metal post;     -   a fence panel having a top rail, a bottom rail and a plurality         of pickets extending therebetween;     -   a top bracket for attachment of the top rail to the post and a         bottom bracket for attachment of the bottom rail to the post;     -   wherein each of the rails includes a metal reinforcement member         extending therealong and attached to the bracket and a cladding         member of extruded plastics material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a fencing system assembled to form a finished fence and showing only one post, two rails and the pickets therebetween of the system.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 2.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The fencing system shown in the figures comprises a plurality of posts 10 and a plurality of fence panels 11. In the drawings only one such post and one such panel are shown but of course it will be appreciated that the posts are substantially identical to those shown and can be used in various arrangements and orientations to provide fencing of various different types, as will be well known to one skilled in the art.

Each post 10 comprises an inner structural metal post 12 which is properly formed from galvanized steel. The post is preferably engaged into the ground either in the soil or in concrete but can be engaged into other materials as required. The galvanized post is surrounded by a cladding post 13 which is square as best shown in FIG. 2 with an inside transverse dimension arranged to substantially exactly match the outside diameter of the steel post so as to be a tight sliding fit when slid over the galvanized post as a cladding structure to provide an attractive appearance and to provided resistance to corrosion.

The panels 11 are formed from a top rail 15 and a bottom rail 16 which are symmetrical and define channels facing respectively downwardly and upwardly so as to receive the ends of pickets 17 which engage into the channels forming the rails. The rails are attached to the posts by U-shaped brackets 18.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the rails 15 or 16 comprise an inner channel member 20 formed of metal which has lips 21 confining an edge 22 of the picket 17.

The metal channel 20 is of a commercially available type defined by a square tube having a base wall 23 against which the edge of the picket sits, two parallel side walls 24 and an outer face 25 which is slit and bent inwardly to define the lips 21 which are spaced by spacing sufficient to receive the picket 17.

The picket 17 can be of plastics panel material extruded as previously described or can be formed from other materials such as wood or even glass. Where the material is sufficiently rigid to require resilience between the metal channel and the picket, suitable edge pieces can be inserted so as to provide the resilient coupling between the side surfaces of the picket and the lips 21.

The metal reinforcement defined by the metal channel 20 is covered by a cladding channel 27 which similarly has a base 28 and parallel sides 29 together with inwardly turned lips 30 which engage or approach the side surfaces of the picket. The lips 30 are spaced outwardly from the base relative to the lips 25. Each of the side walls 29 includes an in-turned rib 31 which engages around the outside of the lips 21 so as to hold or clip the cladding channel in place on the metal channel.

The brackets 18 comprise U-shaped brackets as best shown in FIG. 2 with a flat web 40 resting against an outside face of one flat side of the outer cladding post 13. The base 40 is fastened to the inner post 12 by two screws 41 which engage through holes in the base 40, through drilled holes in the cladding post 13 and into a drilled in the inner post so as to hold the metal U-shaped bracket rigid against the outside of the cladding post but rigidly connected to the inner metal post to hold the bracket fixed in place and rigidly coupled to the post.

The bracket further includes sides 45 each on a respective side of the rail so as to receive the side walls 29 of the cladding channel between the sides of the bracket. Two screws 50 and 51 extend through respective holes 51 in the sides 45 and through holes in the rail so as to clamp the rail to the bracket. The two screws 50 and 51 pass through holes in the side walls of the metal channel 20 and into the picket 17 so as to provide a rigid connection between the bracket and the reinforcement channel again through the plastics cladding channel. The metal reinforcement channels extend along the full length of the panels and hold the structure intact between the two posts spanning a panel. Thus the structure is maintained integral by the metal rigid connection between the post and the rails and the fence is provided with an aesthetic and corrosion resistance properties by the cladding of the extruded plastics material.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. 

1. A fencing system for assembly into a fence comprising: a metal post for engaging into the ground; a tubular cladding post formed of an extruded plastics material arranged to be engaged onto the metal post; a fence panel having a top rail, a bottom rail and a plurality of pickets extending therebetween; a top bracket for attachment of the top rail to the post and a bottom bracket for attachment of the bottom rail to the post; wherein the top and bottom brackets each comprise a base member fastened to the metal post by a screw fastener which passes through the cladding post to engage the metal post and a mounting member fastened to the rail such that the rail is rigidly connected to the metal post.
 2. The fencing system according to claim 1 wherein each of the top and bottom brackets is defined by a U-bracket in which the web forms the base member and the legs form the mounting member with the rail therebetween.
 3. The fencing system according to claim 1 wherein the rail is connected to the mounting member by a bolt.
 4. The fencing system according to claim 1 wherein each of the rails includes a metal reinforcement member extending therealong and attached to the bracket and a cladding member of extruded plastics material.
 5. The fencing system according to claim 4 wherein the metal reinforcement member comprises a metal channel with the pickets extending into a base of the channel.
 6. The fencing system according to claim 4 wherein the cladding member comprises an extruded channel containing the metal channel.
 7. The fencing system according to claim 5 wherein the metal channel comprises a tube with one face thereof formed to define a slot of a width to receive the pickets.
 8. The fencing system according to claim 5 wherein the extruded channel includes a rib along an inside face thereof to engage and locate an edge of the metal channel.
 9. The fencing system according to claim 5 wherein the extruded channel includes an edge lip turned toward the picket at a position spaced along the picket from the edge of the metal channel.
 10. The fencing system according to claim 1 wherein the metal post is cylindrical and the cladding post is square with the inside transverse dimension closely matching an outside diameter of the metal post.
 11. A fencing system for assembly into a fence comprising: a metal post for engaging into the ground; a tubular cladding post formed of an extruded plastics material arranged to be engaged onto the metal post; a fence panel having a top rail, a bottom rail and a plurality of pickets extending therebetween; a top bracket for attachment of the top rail to the post and a bottom bracket for attachment of the bottom rail to the post; wherein each of the rails includes a metal reinforcement member extending therealong and attached to the bracket and a cladding member of extruded plastics material.
 12. The fencing system according to claim 11 wherein the metal reinforcement member comprises a metal channel with the pickets extending into a base of the channel.
 13. The fencing system according to claim 11 wherein the cladding member comprises an extruded channel containing the metal channel.
 14. The fencing system according to claim 12 wherein the metal channel comprises a tube with one face thereof formed to define a slot of a width to receive the pickets.
 15. The fencing system according to claim 13 wherein the extruded channel includes a rib along an inside face thereof to engage and locate an edge of the metal channel.
 16. The fencing system according to claim 13 wherein the extruded channel includes an edge lip turned toward the picket at a position spaced along the picket from the edge of the metal channel.
 17. The fencing system according to claim 11 wherein the metal post is cylindrical and the cladding post is square with the inside transverse dimension closely matching an outside diameter of the metal post.
 18. A fencing system for assembly into a fence comprising: a metal post for engaging into the ground; a tubular cladding post formed of an extruded plastics material arranged to be engaged onto the metal post; a fence panel having a top rail, a bottom rail and a plurality of pickets extending therebetween; a top bracket for attachment of the top rail to the post and a bottom bracket for attachment of the bottom rail to the post; wherein each of the rails includes a cladding member of extruded plastics material and a metal reinforcement member extending therealong and rigidly attached to the bracket; and wherein the top and bottom brackets each comprise a base member fastened to the metal post by a screw fastener which passes through the cladding post to engage the metal post and a mounting member rigidly fastened to the metal reinforcement member of the rail such that the rail is rigidly connected to the metal post through the plastics cladding.
 19. The fencing system according to claim 18 wherein the metal reinforcement member comprises a metal channel with the pickets extending into a base of the channel and the cladding member comprises an extruded channel containing the metal channel.
 20. The fencing system according to claim 18 wherein the metal post is cylindrical and the cladding post is square with the inside transverse dimension closely matching an outside diameter of the metal post. 